Under the Rose
by The Writer On the Wall
Summary: A three parter about Sharon's mother and her weekend-long visit. And Shandy, cuz... obviously. Beta: nofearonlylove.
1. Chapter 1

**Friday**

Afternoon

It was just another typical Friday afternoon in the Major Crimes division. That is, if one considers 'typical' as sitting at a desk doing paperwork, as every member of the division was doing just that. They caught only one case this week, and managed to close it in less than 48 hours. Provenza laughed about it at lunch, saying that murderers out there decided to give them some time off. But now, two hours later, they were all working on some mind-melting bureaucracy that they never have time for on an actually typical week, and it wasn't so funny anymore.

Sharon was in her office, staring at the file that was in her hands. Her eyes were seeing it, but her mind was miles away.

Her mother had called just a little while ago, saying that she was on her way to LA and would be there in time for dinner, "so, please, try to make an effort when you pick the take out." She knew her daughter all too well.

Sharon loved her mother very much, there was no doubt about that. Rose O'Dwyer was a nurturing, caring mother. Maybe a little too caring. It never mattered how old Sharon was, her mother never ceased to try mothering her. 'A mother's job is never done,' she always said when Sharon protested. But Sharon has never taken it as anything other than love. True, sometimes it could drive her crazy… if she allowed it to, which she never did. She was always in control of her emotions.

Sharon never took for granted the fact that her mother was still around at her old age. More than once, she tried to convince her to move to the LA area so they could be geographically close and see each other much more often, but she was reluctant to leave the place where she had been living her entire life.

"I've decided to grant you your wish, Sharry," Rose joked, "I'm moving to a retirement community in Orange County on Monday, and I figured we could spend the weekend before that, together." She wouldn't give her daughter any other details ('save something to talk about over dinner, honey') and practically hung up after Sharon confirmed that Rusty will pick her up from the airport if she couldn't.

Andy looked over his shoulder in his chair, trying to sneak a peek at Sharon and hoped that no one would notice. Provenza, of course, looked right up and rolled his eyes at the sight of his love-struck friend.

It didn't take Andy more than 5 seconds to notice that Sharon was distracted. He got up and took the few steps from his desk, which was conveniently closest to her office.

"Hey," he said gently, hoping not to startle her.

Sharon looked up and returned a quick "Hi," with a smile. It was an automatic reaction to seeing him. The warm feeling in her chest made her suddenly realize how comforting the sight of him was for her. She always took refuge in his eyes in tough situations at work, but now it was personal, and therefore, much more noticeable.

Andy stepped inside her office after closing the door and blocking their voices from the murder room. He knew that his squad mates were just as bored as he was and craving for something interesting to happen, but he wasn't going to be their source of entertainment.

"Is everything okay?" he remained standing.

"Uh… yes, yes, everything is fine," she motioned for him to have a seat. "I got a call from my mother, and I'm not sure whether or not to be worried."

"She alright?"

Sharon looked at him for a moment without speaking. On the surface, there was nothing to worry about, of course. On the contrary. Her mother was moving to the area, and would finally be nearby. Sharon wouldn't have to worry anymore about her being far away and alone.

"Apparently, she's moving to Orange County on Monday, and decided that it'd be a good idea to get here earlier and spend the weekend with me."

"Well, that's good, right? You always worry about her being so far away."

"Yes, of course. I just… I know her too well to not think that she's hiding something from me. She never wanted to leave her hometown before. It's strange."

Andy nodded, and a little smile formed on his lips. Sharon's eyebrows arched up as she looked at him in confusion. None of what she said was funny.

"Sharon, this is your mother… why don't you stop being a detective for a while and just enjoy her visit?"

Sharon kept looking at him. He looked back at her with every intention of being a worthy opponent in this staring match. She didn't make even the slightest movement. Her hands remained resting on the desk even though she put the file down when Andy came in. He thought she looked like a beautiful statue.

Andy reached for her hand, placing a warm palm on it. His thumb started to make small movements on her skin, making her forget for a moment what they were talking about.

"You're right, I guess. I could let it go for a while… but just until I figure out a way to extract that information from her." Her voice was low, calm as always. Andy admired the way she could make anything sound threatening in this tone.

"Okay, good," he laughed and leaned back on his chair. "So… what is she like?"

"My mother? Oh… she's easy to get along with… mostly. You either like her or you don't. There's no in between with her."

Andy waited to hear more about Rose, but Sharon seemed to be struggling to describe her.

"Are you two alike?" he thought he already knew the answer to that.

"No. I don't know. I don't think so," she said, in an unusually fast manner. She seemed anxious at this question, and Andy didn't want to ruffle any feathers.

"I'm sure you'll have a great weekend together," he smiled and got up.

Sharon watched him walking towards the door and opening it. "Hey, why don't you come for dinner tonight?" she surprised him, but not as much as she did herself.

Every time Andy's name came up in their phone calls, her mother asked her to reconsider her choice to enter a relationship. 'You don't need a man at this stage of your life. Romance only complicates things. Just focus on your career.'

It didn't help, of course, when Sharon tried to tell her mother that she was just where she wanted to be, career-wise, and that Andy was a good person.

That's why she felt the strong need to face-palm herself the moment she invited him. The last thing she wanted was for her mother and the man she loved to dislike each other. She should have let her mother settle in first, get used to the area and the people.

"Uh… dinner? Sure," Andy was anything but sure that this was a good idea, but he couldn't refuse. He returned to his desk and started to come up with things to do and say in case of emergency – or in case Rose O'Dwyer hates his guts.

Evening

The front door to Sharon's apartment opened with a kick. Sharon took a step into the darkness and sent one leg sideways, to stop the door from banging against the table behind it. Her hands were carrying enough take out to feed about five people. She knew it was way too much, but she wasn't sure what her mother would want to eat. Andy was right behind her, carrying the other half of their dinner.

Sharon placed the bags on the table and reached for the light. She closed the door as Andy continued to the kitchen. He was already on his way back before she reached it herself.

"Here, let me take these," he placed her bags on the counter, next to the rest.

"Thank you," Sharon sighed. She didn't move, her mind wandering away, while Andy unloaded the food. The silence made him look up.

"You okay?"

"They should be here any second," she removed her jacket so she didn't have to look at him.

Andy approached her from behind the counter. He placed a hand on her right shoulder as she hung the jacket on the nearest chair. It took her a little too long to arrange it on the backrest.

"Hey," he placed another hand on her left shoulder, making her face him. "Why are you so nervous? I thought you said you and your mother got along well?"

"We do…" she looked down at his chest, which was much easier than looking into his eyes while revealing emotions, "but I know that she's not telling me everything, and I'm worried about what it might be."

She shook her head and Andy felt helpless. He hated not being able to take her angst away. It felt like being paralyzed. At a loss for words, he pulled her in for a hug.

Sharon buried her face in his neck and closed her eyes. The calming effect of his arms around her was equal to a glass of good wine and a warm bubble bath. He was a much quicker way to recharge her batteries, though. She remembered what it was like, having no one by her side to support her, but she never wanted to be in that situation again. In hindsight she could see how lonely she was before Rusty, and before that day she offered to help Andy with Nicole's wedding. That's when their friendship came to life. The rest was history, really, and by this point, their hold of each other was too strong to let go.

The front door opened and Sharon took a startled step back, fixing her hair quickly. Andy straightened his tie just before Rose O'Dwyer appeared at the kitchen's entrance, with Rusty behind her. She was a rather tall, slim woman, elegantly dressed in a black, flowy dress that went all the way from under her knees up to her waist, and a dark blue buttoned blouse that was tucked inside the skirt. Her white hair was tied in a perfect bun and matched the pearl necklace resting on her chest. Her presence was impressive, powerful. It made her seem taller than she actually was. A little less tall than her daughter, but all in all, they were very similar. Andy especially noticed the color of her eyes, which was the exact shade of green as Sharon's.

It was instantly obvious where Sharon got her expensive taste in clothes from.

"Sharry!" Rose spread her arms for her daughter to accept a hug. Andy and Rusty exchanged wondering looks. No one ever called Sharon by a nickname. It was either Sharon or Captain.

"Mom, it's so good to see you," Sharon squeezed her tight and placed a kiss on her cheek before they separated. Rose caught Sharon's hand and held onto it.

"You must be the man distracting my daughter… I mean, Andy Flynn," she looked over Sharon's shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am," he smiled. Andy could always appreciate good sarcasm. "Nice to meet you," they shook hands.

"Nice indeed, but, please, don't ever call me ma'am again. Rose will do."

"How was your flight, mom?" Sharon changed the subject quickly, before Rose could make another remark about their relationship.

"Uneventful," Rose placed her purse on the table.

"That's good, isn't it?" Sharon smiled.

"Well, sure I don't like surprises. Nothing worse than not having control over things," from her tone, one might think that this fact was as obvious as the sun rising in the morning.

Andy started to think that Sharon might be much more similar to her mother than she realized.

"I know that you don't like surprises much, either, but I have two for you," Rose maintained a straight face, trying not to give away anything.

"Oh, no… what is it?" Sharon squinted at her mother, but before she could read anything on her face, two extra voices sounded to her left.

"Surprise!"

"Oh, my god!" Sharon put a hand on her heart at the sight of Emily and Ricky.

The next few minutes were a mess of salutations, hugs, kisses, and teary eyes (Sharon's, of course). Andy greeted the two and joined Rusty in setting the table. By the time they all sat down to eat, they found out that Ricky took a spontaneous weekend off, and Emily was practically kidnapped by her grandmother, despite the fact that she had to rehearse several hours a day.

"Mom, how did you pull that off? I couldn't get them to visit me outside the holiday season if my life depended on it," Sharon teased her children.

"What do you mean? I ordered them to," Rose helped herself to some rice.

Emily nodded with a smile. "She promised to come to my premiere in a month, and since I can never get you to come anymore, mom…"

Sharon opened her mouth to protest, but Rose beat her to it.

"Oh, Emily, don't say that. Your mother went to many of your premieres. There comes a time in a person's life, where the kids are old enough to be considered as a second priority."

"Mother…" Sharon used her low, threatening tone on her mother. Both Andy and Rusty thought it was quite the spectacle. They even stopped eating momentarily.

"I'm not trying to educate you, dear, I know you don't like that," Rose smiled. "I'm just saying that a woman needs to put herself first at one point, and you seem to be at that stage in life."

Sharon sighed and smiled bitterly, throwing a quick glance at the ceiling, as if asking god for help.

"So, where are you guys staying?" Rusty tried to distract everyone and give Sharon a moment to breathe. "I mean, I don't mind sleeping on the couch, but the floor is where I draw the line."

"Don't worry, funny guy," Ricky teased him, "we're staying at our dad's place."

"Oh, did he invite you over?" Sharon sounded surprised.

"He invited us to use his apartment while he's… away," the last word was said much more quietly than the rest.

Sharon kept looking at him, waiting to hear the story behind it. Ricky tried to avoid her eyes, but she was relentless.

"He went to Vegas," Emily said eventually.

"Em!"

"What? It's not like they're still together! Mom doesn't care, she's moved on."

Ricky was about to respond, probably to defend his mother, but Sharon spoke before he got the words out.

"Don't ever say that I don't care, Emily." She put her knife and fork down.

Rusty and Andy exchanged worried looks.

"But you don't, mom. You built this whole new life here, and –"

"We're _not_ discussing this right now, over dinner. We'll talk later. Alone."

"Fine," Emily took a bite from whatever was on her plate, she couldn't even notice. By the look on her face, she had lost her appetite, but obviously needed something to do with herself.

"Mom, dad does what he wants, you know that. None of us can save him from himself," Ricky's voice was gentle.

Sharon nodded. "I just don't want the two of you to get caught in the middle of… whatever it is this time. If you need another place to stay…"

"Nah, he won't be there until Sunday evening. We probably won't even see him."

Night

"Thank you for cleaning up after dinner," Sharon said quietly and smiled at Andy in appreciation. They were saying goodbye in the kitchen, as close as possible to the fridge and to each other so that Rose – who was having a lively chat in the living room with Rusty – couldn't see them.

"No problem. Are you alright now?" he moved a flock of hair from her face and left his hand on her cheek. She rested against it with her eyes closed for a moment, placing her own hand on top of his.

"Yes. I'll sort things out with Emily tomorrow. She has a special bond with my mother, so it's always a little hard for me whenever they're together. My mother validates her."

"Well, if _anyone_ can make _anything_ right, it's you," Andy managed to bring her close to laughing. She wasn't entirely there yet, but he knew he would manage sooner or later. Her happiness became his top priority in the last few months, there was nothing he wanted more for her.

"I think I'll have a talk with my mother now. I need to find out the real reason why she's moving here."

"She still sees you as her girl, doesn't she?" Andy found this very amusing. No one in their personal or professional lives would ever dare to try and educate Sharon Raydor the way her mother does. He had never witness anyone being sarcastic with Sharon and live to tell about it. She never responded to sarcasm, but she always got her way with them, eventually – which usually meant jail.

Sharon rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it."

"It's so funny to see at our age."

"Not so funny for me."

Andy could have sworn he saw a flash of Darth Raydor in her eyes for a second.

"Okay, I think that's my cue to leave," he took her hand and walked towards the front door. Rose was on her feet in the living room. It seemed like she was about to go into the kitchen and look for them.

"Leaving already?" she said to Andy.

"Yes, it's pretty late."

"Oh, I think it's lovely that you two are saving yourselves for the wedding," Rose placed a hand on her heart to complete the taunt.

"Mother!" Sharon opened her eyes wide in terror just when Rusty snorted from his sofa-bed. Andy was smiling, to Sharon's horror.

"Do I need to respond to that?" he knew that playing along with Rose would get him kicked out definitively, but he couldn't help it.

"Okay, you're leaving, goodnight, Andy," Sharon grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the door.

"At least give the poor man a kiss goodbye," Rose laughed. She used to be just like her daughter when it came to being intimate with a man, but as she grew old, she realized there was no time to waste on shame. Life was too short for that, and women were far too ashamed, in her opinion.

Sharon slammed the door, disobeying her mother on purpose. She felt bad for sending Andy on his way like that, but he was a martyr for the cause.

"Well, I'll call it a night, too. Sweet dreams!"

"No, mom, we haven't had a chance to talk yet!" Sharon called desperately, but Rose was already half way down the hall.

"I'm sure we will find another time for you to interrogate me, honey," she waved a hand in dismissal and disappeared from sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Saturday**

Morning

Sharon left her bedroom a little after 8 AM. Rusty was sound asleep on the couch. She stopped to look at him and smiled. There was a gentle knock on the door, but she wasn't sure she had heard right. Who would come by so early on a Saturday morning? But a few seconds later, there it was again.

"Hi," Emily seemed rather embarrassed on the threshold.

"Good morning," Sharon stepped aside to let her in.

"I brought bagels," Emily raised a hand, to show the bag she was holding, like some kind of a peace offering.

Sharon made coffee while Emily got some things out of the fridge and set the table for breakfast. She quickly cut some fresh vegetables and placed them at the center. When Sharon brought the coffee pot to the table, she was amazed by how quickly Emily had everything ready.

"Wow, you've developed some new skills," she smiled, pouring coffee into two mugs.

"Yeah, my days can get pretty hectic at times. It's a survival skill," Emily smiled too, though it was obvious she was pretty uncomfortable. She knew that Sharon wouldn't mention what happened at dinner. She preferred allowing her children to take responsibility for their own actions. She never pushed them, unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Mom… I'm sorry about last night. It was childish, I know."

Sharon placed her hand on Emily's. A mother never likes seeing her children struggling, even with a much deserved apology.

"Your feelings are not childish," she said gently, "I would just like to know where they're coming from."

"I don't know, it's stupid. I had a hard time falling asleep last night because I kept thinking about it. I didn't even realize I had these thoughts until I came here."

Sharon nodded and sipped from her coffee, silence hanging between them. Emily wasn't sure what to make of it, but Sharon was actually processing Emily's behavior at dinner with this new information. Her natural emotional intelligence combined with her many years as a detective gave her a unique way of understanding situations.

"Okay, Em. Consider this: you came here during another stressful time in your life, which is caused, as always, by an approaching premiere. You haven't had much time to talk to me recently –"

"I know, I'm sorry. I haven't been a very good daughter at all lately."

"And when you arrive here," Sharon continued without responding, "you see me with Rusty and with Andy… and nothing in your life has prepared you for what it would feel like to have a younger brother, and… me in a relationship."

"So I'm basically cracking under the pressure?" Emily let out a bitter chuckle.

"There's a lot of pressure on you now, yes, but you're strong enough to handle it. Just keep in mind that this, too, shall pass. And I couldn't have hoped for a better daughter, by the way."

"I don't deserve you, mom," Emily leaned back in her chair, finally feeling relieved. "I forget how good it feels to talk to you. It's not okay."

"You can call me anytime. Rusty and Andy don't make you a second priority for me."

"I know, mom…"

They both smiled at each other, putting the subject to rest. For now.

"Are you two done being all emotional and stuff?" Rusty's voice was suddenly heard from the couch. "'Cause I'm _really_ hungry."

Sharon and Emily looked at each other and tried to stifle their giggles.

"Yes, and there's a bagel for you, too," Emily said and he jumped to his feet. He took a sit next to her and took over the knife and a fresh looking bagel.

"By the way, grandma was up early, wasn't she?"

The smile on Sharon's face disappeared in a heartbeat. "What? She's not sleeping in her room?"

"No, she was going for a walk when I arrived. I don't think she saw me, though."

"Rose gets up early to exercise?" Rusty took a huge bite from his bagel.

"No, Rose gets up early to avoid me," Sharon tapped the table with her fingers. Her mind, once again, raced through all the possibilities of health issues.

Afternoon

"Thank you for coming," Sharon and Andy were standing outside her apartment. "Rusty went to see Gus, I told my mother you were taking me to watch the sunset, and that we will all be back in three hours or so for dinner."

"Wait, what? Shouldn't you be spending time with her? Why is it so urgent to see the sunset today?" Andy was utterly confused.

"It's not. We're not going."

That didn't help him at all.

"So you lied to your mother?"

"Yes." Sharon took his hand and led the way to the elevator.

The more information he received, the more he felt like this was a freaky alternate universe and that Sharon was not the Sharon he knew.

"She's withholding information from me, and I'm withholding information from her so that I can find out what she's been withholding from me."

She pressed the ground floor button and the doors closed.

"Wait, is that why you asked me to find a parking space on the street?"

Sharon didn't look at him. She smacked her lips, aware of how crazy she might seem to Andy right now. She knew he was rolling his eyes to her right when he realized she wasn't going to answer. The elevator reached its destination and she sprung out of it towards building's entrance.

"Wait, Sharon!" Andy ran after her. He managed to get a hold of her arm just before she exited. "Are we really going to stake out your apartment?"

The first ten minutes in the car passed in silence. Andy turned on the radio, to reduce the level of awkwardness. Watching the building was not a fun activity at all. He sighed and looked at Sharon. Her eyes were fixed on the entrance door. She had the same determined expression on her face she always had just before getting a confession out of a suspect. It was intimidating in the interview room, but here, Andy found it pretty amusing. Maybe he was just in desperate need to be entertained.

"Rose doesn't stand a chance, does she?" he smiled.

Sharon tried not to smile, but her lips curved up involuntarily. Her neighbors from across the hall entered the building with their two little children. "Nope," she looked at him. "You're not mad?"

"No… I think _you're_ mad, but I'm not angry."

"I'll make it up to you."

"For what? I get to spend some time staring at a beautiful woman."

"Ah, smooth," Sharon chuckled, turning to look at the building again. An older man in a brown suit entered it. She didn't recognize him as a neighbor, and she didn't see where he came from, either.

Andy examined her profile. Her hair called for him to bury his face in it. His thoughts suddenly jumped back up to her apartment. To her bedroom.

"Stop," Sharon said as an older woman came out of the building. For a second she thought it was her mother, but it wasn't. It was Claire, from the third floor.

"What?" Andy had the familiar feeling that Sharon could read his mind. She looked at him and her eyes confirmed that she indeed did just that.

"Don't look at me like that," she said in an almost whisper.

"Like what?"

"Like… that… with your eyes."

Andy's smile grew wider.

"It might seem like I'm looking at you with my eyes, but I'm actually using my imagination to –"

"Okay. Thank you for sharing, Andy."

He loved the way his name felt on her lips. He leaned towards her and she turned away, but that didn't send him backwards.

"Are you trying to confirm my mother's earlier words by distracting me from 'important' things?"

"God forbid," he whispered gently right in her ear, causing her whole body to tense up in a second. It wasn't a bad kind of tense, but quite mind-blowing.

She gasped when his lips hovered over her side temple, his breath caressing her skin, inviting her to get caught in a swirl of good sensations. She needed to stay focused, but the moment his lips touched her, she started to feel the dazzling pull. And when she felt his hand on her thigh, she knew that she was seconds away from drowning. Her head tilted back, resting against the car seat. She bit her lower lip when he moved down to kiss her neck. It took a special kind of strength to keep her eyes open.

Andy's hand almost completed its valiant journey to a different kind of temple… but, then, Sharon grabbed it, calling his name. It wasn't exactly at the right moment, nor in the tone he was hoping for.

"There she is!" Sharon regained control of herself at once.

"Who?" Andy could barely remember his name.

"My mother, Andy."

"Oh, right, right," he squinted at the building's entrance. Rose was accompanied by the man in the brown suit. "Who's that with her?"

"I have no idea. I saw him entering the building a few minutes ago."

"What do you think they're gonna – oh, wow," Andy was fully immersed in their investigation now, when Rose and the mysterious man stopped to kiss each other. "Way to go, Rose."

Sharon cast him a disapproving glance. He moved backwards, sitting straight in his seat again. Rose and the man took a few more steps and got into a shiny, black Mercedes.

"Uh… do you want to follow them?"

"No… I've got enough ammunition to get her to confess," she watched the black car driving away.

"Well, one thing we know, is that your step-father has some deep pockets."

Andy remained quiet for a while, after receiving another disgruntled look.

Evening

"Nothing like good old pizza," Ricky landed lazily on the couch after dinner, followed by Rusty and Emily.

"Spoken like a true American," Rusty approved. Emily chuckled next to him.

"Wait until you taste the dessert I brought," Rose joined them in one of the armchairs, patting Ricky's arm on the way.

Sharon followed her to the living room, examining her every movement, as if she was on the prowl. Andy was right behind her. He waited for her to take the second armchair, which would have left him standing, but she went to the couch and touched Emily's shoulder. Emily immediately scooted over, pushing Rusty to do the same so that their mother had a place to sit.

Andy smiled and took the armchair, getting ready to watch a real-life dramatic comedy. He watched Sharon, sitting with Emily in her arms, waiting for the interrogation to commence.

"So, Andy Flynn. I heard you are an alcoholic," Rose surprised him instead, bringing up the subject in such a light manner, that one could mistake it for a conversation about the weather.

Andy's eyebrows arched up, he was taken aback. Not that he had a problem discussing the matter, but he wasn't expecting it at all.

"What?!" Sharon never told her. "How did you –"

"I… might have mentioned something, sometime, under heavy pressure and sleep deprivation," Ricky raised his hand, admitting to guilt.

"It's okay, Sharon," Andy turned to look at Rose. "Yes, I'm a _recovered_ alcoholic."

"Hmmm… Jackson is also one, you know. Well, I'm not so sure about the 'recovered' part."

Sharon sighed, shaking her head and covering her eyes with her hand in despair.

"Yes, I know him from… _those_ days," Andy saw Sharon raising her head back up abruptly to look at him. He never mentioned to her the fact that Jackson served as his drinking buddy.

"Yes, I figured. You two were quite alike, weren't you? And how long have you been sober?"

"Twenty years now," Andy ignored the insult of comparing him to Jackson Raydor.

"Really? Not even one drink in twenty years?"

"Nope."

"You see, grandma," Ricky started, "that's where Andy and dad stop being alike. Andy got his life together, he made amends with his family. Look at what a great dude he is."

Sharon smiled. Ricky always saw himself as her white knight, out to defend her.

"Thanks, Ricky," Andy chuckled.

"Well, Andy, life is full of opportunities to fail," Rose wouldn't back down. A man who has her daughter's heart must be strong enough to face the mother.

"Well, ma'am… your daughter's trust in me encourages me to be a better person," Andy kept his eyes on Rose, but he knew that Sharon was smiling at him from the couch.

"Well, _sir_ , it didn't encourage Jackson, did it?" Rose enjoyed this conversation immensely. She was pretty convinced that Andy was a good enough man for her daughter now, but it was too much fun to let go.

"Well, _Rose_ , I'm nothing like Jackson."

"No, you're not," Sharon couldn't help but intervene. The way he defended himself in such a dignified manner, and his words… if they were alone she wouldn't be able to resist him.

Andy smiled back at her, forgetting himself for a moment in her pools of green.

"Okay, that's enough torturing Andy, grandma," Emily giggled.

"Yes, mother… why don't you tell us where have _you_ been this afternoon?" Sharon went straight for the kill. She had enough of being the one hunted.

"I went to watch Emily rehearse."

"Really?" that was a surprise for Sharon. Her daughter was in on the secret.

"Yes, it took me right back to my days as a ballerina. It was lovely," Rose was so proud of her granddaughter.

"Did your boyfriend think so, too?" that was the death blow.

Rose froze in her seat and Emily raised her head from her mother's shoulder.

"I… I don't know what you're talking about," Rose tried, but she knew it was hopeless. Her daughter was very good at her job.

"Mom, I saw you kissing him!" Sharon's voice was louder than usual when these words came out of her mouth.

"Oh, god," Ricky and Rusty said at the same time. They really didn't need to hear such details about their grandmother.

"Oh, alright, so I have a partner! So what?"

"So that's the reason you're moving to California, isn't it?"

"His son is sick, he needs to be close to him," Rose kept a straight face to hide her defeat.

"I'm sorry to hear," Sharon's voice went back to normal now. "But WHY didn't you just tell me?"

"I didn't want to."

"Because that would make you a hypocrite for telling me that I didn't need a man in my life."

"Oh, it's not the same. I'm old. I don't want to spend the rest of my days alone."

"Well, I'm happy for you, and I hope that you can accept that I also have a _partner_ , and it's never going to change, in spite of you trying to talk me out of it."

Rose didn't respond. She knew that Sharon was absolutely right. Neither of them deserved to be alone until the day they die. It wasn't easy admitting that her daughter had outsmarted her, though.

"So, we're already in the 'forever' stage of the relationship?" Ricky tried to break the tension.

"Ricky…" Sharon warned him.

"Oh, they've been in that stage long before they even realized. Believe me, I was here," Rusty ignored the warning.

"Okay, who wants dessert?" Sharon jumped to her feet and disappeared in the kitchen a moment later.

Night

"Shhh!" Sharon brought a finger to her lips. She tried not to smile but failed miserably. He had that effect on her, and she hasn't yet mastered a way to resist it.

"Come on, Sharry, give me some sugar," Andy put his arms around her waist and brought their bodies together. They were finally in the privacy of her bedroom.

"Don't call me that!" she tried to protest as he dived right back into where he left off in the car earlier. He knew that spot under her ear that she loved, and used it like a weapon to distract her. "Only she calls me that, and I don't like it."

Sharon felt his fingers fiddling with the top button of her silk blouse, and knew that he was about to open it. She took half a step back, remaining in his arms but far enough to get his attention.

"Please, Andy. My mother is _right_ down the hall."

"You mean… she thinks you're…" he let go of her, frowning.

"She thinks I'm what?" her face mirrored his in confusion, only hers was genuine.

"A… a virgin?" he whispered.

Sharon stared at him as her brain shut down for a split of a second, before snorting and covering her mouth with her hands to muffle the sound.

Realizing he managed to get her walls down finally, Andy seized her again and planted a kiss on her lips. She didn't resist. Or couldn't bring herself to do it. Either way, he gained access, and it felt good. At last, a real kiss. It seemed like they were both trying to make it last forever. But nothing does, as well known. When the kiss ended, Andy put his forehead against hers and she allowed him to stay close like that.

"What's the problem?" he whispered, smiling and rocking her gently.

She sighed with her eyes closed, taking in his smell and the way his body felt against hers.

"She's right there…" she didn't have to whisper. Her voice was pretty low on a regular basis. Her palm traced a way from his shoulder to his cheek and she caressed it gently with her thumb.

"And Rusty is in the living room. And I can assure you that none of them is thinking about what we're doing in here."

"Ah…" she sighed at the thought of it.

Suddenly, Andy let go of her. It happened so fast that she froze for a moment, baffled, before turning to see him standing at a safe distance.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah… I just figured it would be better to take a step back if you didn't want anything to happen… before it was too late."

Sharon smiled at him, feeling how much she loved the man. Her mother's words echoed in her head. 'Haven't you done it all before with Jackson? Why are you doing that to yourself again? What do you need someone new in your life for?'

Looking at him, she knew her mother couldn't be more wrong. There is a great emotional value to a supportive relationship, and that was exactly what Andy provided her with, in a very steady manner. In fact, he did it long before it turned romantic between them.

"Maybe I should just go home," he reacted to her silence, or the way he understood it.

"Oh, no… are you hurt? Or angry?"

"Not at all," he kissed her cheek and lingered a little longer than was required for a goodbye peck, as if he was taking in as much of her as he could, to last him for the night. "I understand that having a parent around can be awkward… I'll see you soon."

"Alright," she smiled at him and watched as he left her room, sending her one last smile before closing the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sunday**

Early morning

Sharon woke up with a start at 3 AM. There was noise coming from the living room or the kitchen. She got up quickly and opened her bedroom door. Immediately her ears picked up two voices. Two happy voices.

"Chocolate or maple?"

It was her mother.

"Uh… why not both?"

And Rusty.

The smell of pancakes reached her nose and she smiled. Shaking her head, she closed the door and walked back to her bed. Her mother used to do that a lot when Sharon was younger. It didn't matter if Sharon was sad or celebrating something. Anything was as a good reason for crazy-hours pancakes'. That's what Rose called it.

"Sharry?" Rose's voice came from the other side of the door. "You're up, aren't you? I know you. We've been making too much noise for you to be still sleeping."

Sharon sighed and turned on the light on the nightstand. "Yes, mom."

Rose entered. There wasn't a hint on her face to what the time actually was. She was fully awake and energetic.

"Come and eat pancakes with us," she smiled.

Sharon remained lying in bed. "I don't eat at this hour."

Rose sat down next to her. It made Sharon feel like a child again. Her mother used to sit with her a lot like that, talking to her, reading her stories, teaching her songs.

"Well, you should. You're too thin. You need to add some padding on the sides."

"Thank you for the advice," Sharon laughed. "So… will I be seeing you more often now?"

"Yeah, sure! More… or less," Rose smiled.

"Funny."

"Speaking of that, why isn't Andy here?"

"What do you mean?" Sharon frowned.

"Please, don't tell me that my joke yesterday was true."

"What are you talking about?"

"You two haven't…?"

"Oh, god, mom! I don't want to talk to you about _that_."

"Okay, so you did. So why isn't he here with you?"

"God, I feel like a teenager again," Sharon muttered. She couldn't answer at first. Her mother knew how to read people just like she did. At times, it was annoying. Especially when the person she was reading was her. "I… I just didn't think that with you here…"

"Honey, please. Don't be ridiculous," Rose smiled at her and caressed her arm. "Don't you want him around?"

"I do. Of course I do."

"So where is he?"

Sharon rolled her eyes. She didn't know what her mother wanted her to say.

"Why aren't you two living together?" Rose dropped the bomb.

"W-what? Living together?"

"Yes… residing in the same dwelling," Rose teased her. "Why are you wasting time, honey? Throw caution to the wind, live a little!"

"Okay, mom, thanks again for another wonderful piece of advice. I'll take it into consideration."

"You should've been a politician with these answers," Rose muttered, "and how did you get to be so sarcastic?"

Sharon didn't respond, but smiled to herself like she knew a secret that her mother didn't. She watched her, quietly, trying to return the favor and read her face. "Will you be ok, away from home?"

"I think I will. Your father's been gone for so long now and most of my friends are too. My heart is just not there anymore, so… my home isn't either."

"Oh… is it with… what did you say his name was? Jeff?"

"Yes, it is with him. And with you, and my grandchildren."

Sharon smiled at her. "I'm glad you get along well with Rusty."

"You remember the first time I met him? I asked him to tell me about himself and he just blurted it all out at one, everything he went through, checking boundaries and making sure I wasn't going to reject him once he lets me in."

"Yes, of course. He did the same with several other people in the beginning."

"Yes, he was a little aggressive. But I could see how smart he was right away. So, what I'm saying is that I'm not doing you any favors. He's just a wonderful young man. I enjoy our talks very much. And speaking of him, the poor thing is probably wondering what happened to me," Rose chuckled, getting to her feet. "You sure you don't want to join us?"

"I'm sure, thanks."

Rose nodded and left the room. Sharon stared at the closed door for a while, trying to imagine a world without her mother. It was a terrible thought and not something she'd want to face anytime soon. Or at all.

Late afternoon

"Alright, it's time to go get our things and leave for the airport," Ricky announced, checking his watch. He got on his feet, trying not to look at his mother's sad face, and pulled Emily up too. Sharon did the same, giving each a hearty goodbye hug.

"Will you be going to see your father at his apartment now?" she didn't want to sound worried, but it usually wasn't an easy situation when her irresponsible ex-husband was involved.

"Maybe. He wasn't sure what time his… _work_ there will be over," Emily shrugged and started for the door.

"Call me if there's any problem," Sharon pointed a warning finger at Ricky, in case he intends to hide anything from her.

"Right. If anything bad happens I'll just call my mommy," he smiled and kissed her cheek just before following Emily, who was saying goodbye to Rose and Rusty by the door.

"Bye, mom. Love you," Emily walked out the door, giving her teary-eyed mother one last look.

"I love you both," she watched them for a moment and then closed the door.

"Oh, honey. You'll see them again soon," Rose took her hand.

"Does it ever get easier?" Sharon chuckled, gently wiping underneath her eye with her finger.

"No," Rose smiled at her.

Evening

By the time the sun came down, Rose had finished packing her suitcase with the help of Rusty and Sharon. There was a knock on the door just as they were about to leave, and Sharon rushed to the entrance. "Are you sure that Jeff will meet you at the retirement community with the transport truck?" she called to Rose, who was coming out of Rusty's room, where she spent the nights during the weekend.

"Yes, he's a few minutes away from the place. Unlike me," Rose panted from carrying her purse and another bag. Rusty was behind her with both her suitcase and another bag. He couldn't understand why she would need so many things for just one weekend. Then again, he wasn't a woman.

"Andy? What are you doing here?" for a second, Sharon thought that she had invited him over and forgotten about it. But that didn't happen.

"Uh…" he looked confused at the question, "I thought…"

"I called him, honey," Rose grabbed the handle of her suitcase and rolled it past the threshold, almost running over Andy's foot. He jumped out of the way and into the apartment, slamming into Sharon but being quick enough to hold her before she fell backwards. "Told him you had something you needed to talk to him about."

Sharon stared at her mother, trying to figure out what to say to Andy once they were alone. She still needed time to consider what her mother told her about moving in together. She wasn't sure at all that she was ready. How could she be? What was the indication that would let her know that it's the right move?

"Ta-ta, honey. I'll see you soon," Rose planted a quick kiss on her daughter's cheek and started walking towards the elevator.

"It was nice meeting you, Rose," Andy waved at her and moved away from the door.

"You too, Andy!" she called from down the hall. "Come on, Rusty, we still have to pick up Gus!"

"Alright. I'll be back later," Rusty rushed after her with the keys in his hands.

Sharon closed the door and turned around slowly. She leaned against it, trying to buy time.

"Wow. Silence," Andy was standing midway between the living room and the kitchen. He stayed there without making a sound, just watching her with his hands in his pockets, appreciating the image of her against the white of the door and waiting for her to decide what she wanted to do with him. Each was waiting for the other to say something.

Eventually, Sharon approached him, smiling with a little frown on her face, as she tried to figure out what he was thinking. She put both hands on his waist and looked him in the eyes very closely. He still didn't move.

"Andy…?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Well, it's pretty obvious if you look at me. I'm not doing anything," he smiled.

"So you're just going to keep standing here like that?"

"You decide. I'm all yours," his smile developed a mischievous gleam.

"You know what we haven't done in a while?" she asked.

Andy applauded himself inwardly for managing to stand still with his hands in his pockets while she got so close and talked with a sultry, low voice.

"I can think of several things," he tried to match her tone.

Sharon smiled and moved her arms to his shoulders. "Dance."

He definitely wasn't expecting that. "True. I guess we need another wedding to go to."

"Or… we could just… dance."

"But there's no music," he finally got his hands out and held her waist. "Although, my heart is quite the drummer at the moment."

Sharon's smile widened. She moved closer to him, feeling his chest against hers, the warmth of his body intertwined with her soul. She found it funny that the tiny, constricted area that his arms created around her, was the place she felt most free.

"I'm sorry about my mother."

"What are you talking about? I had a blast," he chuckled.

"It was very tactless of her, asking you about your… past. And if front of everyone, too," Sharon seemed truly tormented by the memory.

"Look, I get it. She doesn't want you to go through the same pain twice. Don't worry about it."

"The worst thing about it is that she made me doubt my choices. I never decide anything without thinking and re-thinking it, so that I don't have to deal with second guesses or regrets later."

"But that's what parents are supposed to do, isn't it? Give us advice, get us to reconsider our choices, so we can improve ourselves?"

"I'm not a child, Andy," as a mother herself, Sharon knew that he was right. As a daughter, she refused to admit it.

"You'll always be your mother's child," he smiled.

"But she made me wonder if I was doing the right thing with you. If I even _deserve_ …" her voice got caught somewhere deep in her throat before she could say the last words – 'to have a second chance'.

"You have the purest heart, Sharon," his hand caressed her back slowly, "You _deserve_ anything you want in life."

She shook her head, smiling. She could handle being yelled at and insulted, not only by suspects, but also by police officers, back in her FID days. But compliments? That was so much harder for some reason.

"Really. I've never met anyone who's as good of a person as you are, I mean, why do you think I love you so much?"

Andy froze. The music in his heart seemed to have stopped at once. He didn't mean to say those words. Not because they weren't true, but because from the beginning of their romantic relationship, he was always careful to do it her way. So he waited, and kept it all to himself. The last thing he wanted to do was put pressure on her.

Seeing the smile on her face growing wider swept his insides with such a relief, that he wasn't sure he had any internal organs left. It was a weird, lightweight sensation.

"Thank you, Andy," she could barely whisper. Her throat felt like the barrier that blocked the river of emotions from flowing freely out to the world through her eyes.

He nodded. Maybe she wasn't ready to say it back yet. He was totally okay with that. He'll just give her more time. It wasn't such a big deal. So why did his organs seem to have found their weight again? Maybe a little too much weight.

"You deserve to be happy, Sharon. And if I'm any part of your happiness… I'm truly… happy," his voice cracked and he cleared his throat to disguise it.

"Are you trying to make me cry?" she laughed, again with tears in her eyes. The dam in her throat was about to collapse.

Andy smiled back at her but didn't say another word.

"Of course you're a part of my happiness. A big part of it," the light from the kitchen made her eyes sparkle in green as she looked at him. Andy felt like he could spend the rest of his days losing himself in them.

He noticed that her grip on him was tighter now. Was she trying to tell him something without words? He was okay with it being all that he gets for now. She'll say it back when she's ready. He was lucky to have even gotten this far with her, he kept repeating in his mind.

"Oh, and I love you, too," she shook her head slightly while saying it, realizing she was too overwhelmed by his spontaneous confession to say it back right away. A tear rolled down her cheek but she was still smiling.

Andy wiped it for her gently with his forefinger, mirroring her expression. He wondered if he will ever be able to wipe the smile off his face.

Sharon's heart skipped a beat in realization. It was as if a bell rang inside of her, announcing that the vindication that she was looking for was right in front of her. Looking in his eyes was all she needed, to know that she was ready.

"You know, she does like you. My mother," she said, changing the subject. But not really. "She made a… suggestion."

"Oh?"

"Last night, when she realized you went home, she made it clear to me that she thought I was being foolish for wasting time living in this apartment… without you."

Andy's eyebrows arched up in surprise. They both just took a jump together, but Sharon turned it into a huge leap.

"Do you agree with her?" he asked.

"I've been thinking about it all day, and I must say that there are some advantages to taking that step… although, it could have negative results, too. It's complicated."

"Is there any conclusion to this entire debate happening in your head?"

Sharon took his hand and led him to the kitchen.

"First I want to know what you think. So why don't you tell me while I make tea?"

Andy knew that it was one of those suggestions of hers that one didn't really have a choice in.

"O-okay," he waited for her to fill the kettle with water and turn it on.

She leaned on her side against the counter and looked at him in anticipation.

"Sharon, do you really need to ask?" he was pretty sure the way he felt for her had been written all over his face for a few years now.

"Yes. How do you feel about us… taking that step?"

"Every moment that you're in my sight is a well spent moment as far as I'm concerned. So, imagine what it would be like for me, if I only had to take a few steps to make that happen."

He looked her. Sharon thought to herself that he could get anything he wanted from her with that side smile. She also made a mental note to never tell him that.

"Okay. But, will you be willing to change your life like that? You won't be getting only me, you know."

"I have no problem with the kid. On the contrary, I've come to enjoy playing chess with him," he chuckled. Chess was never something he was interested in. Who would have thought?

Andy took a step closer to her. She smiled at him without saying a word. The idea was growing on her by the second.

"You know what I think?" he said quietly as his arm made its way around her waist, to her back.

"Mmm?"

"I think that taking chances in life is necessary, if we intend to enjoy our time here."

He brought his lips to hers, but stopped before they touched. At times, he liked to sweep her off her feet with an unexpected kiss. Or a much expected one. But mostly he preferred following her lead. There were never misunderstandings when she was in charge, and that could be said about anything in life.

Sharon continued what he had started, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. It was a short, sweet one, keeping him craving for more.

Just before it ended, she felt Andy taking over it like a sudden gust, deepening the kiss and awakening things in both of them. It gained speed quickly, threatening to throw them both off the road. Unlike an actual accident, an impact would be a good thing for them both.

Andy placed his hands under her thighs and lifted her on top of the counter. Standing between her legs, his lips found her neck as his hands traveled up her thighs, to her lower back.

Sharon felt him pulling her closer. She moaned, tightening her legs around his waist. Her brain was temporarily being wiped clean from all thoughts, memories, ideas, problems… in that moment it was just the two of them, moving as one, breathing together, spiraling around each other, souls elevating in perfect unison.


End file.
